Return to Hobie.com
Hobie Forums
It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 9:41 am

All times are UTC - 8 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 26 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next
Author Message
PostPosted: Sat Mar 30, 2013 9:10 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Sun Nov 13, 2011 9:46 pm
Posts: 25
Of the 22 fish species I've caught on the fly, 14 have been caught in my Hobie. How many have you caught in a Hobie kayak? Read my latest blog entry at link below for more on the topic. I was surprised, if I'm honest, at the number of species I have a lot of room for improvement on, in category of personal best catch. It also enables me to gain a picture of the species I have yet to catch!
http://icastinayak.com/2013/03/29/fish-species-caught-on-the-fly.aspx

_________________
Tight lines,
Aaron Rubel
Hobie Fishing Team & Fairhope Boat Company Pro Staff
Mobile Bay Area of Gulf Coast


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sat Mar 30, 2013 9:06 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Thu Apr 19, 2012 6:38 pm
Posts: 52
It sure depends on the area of the country you fish. So far in New England waters I have caught Striped bass, bluefish, weakfish, fluke, winter flounder tautog, black sea bass, scup, shad, sea robbins, blue shark, dogfish and false albacore. I hope to go deep sea on a mother ship this summer, to catch marlin and yellow tail. A big bluefin would be nice while being taken on a 5 mile Nantucket sleigh ride not to mention a memory for a lifetime. One can dream right?


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sun Mar 31, 2013 1:37 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Mon Jul 16, 2012 9:27 pm
Posts: 731
I love fishing from my Hobie, I am so glad my friends introduced me to the kayak fishing sport 3 years ago.

Near/inshore so far:
Spotted Sea Trout
Snook
Flounder
Bluefish
Pompano
Barracuda
Catfish
Jack crevalle
LizardFish and pinfish don't count do they? :lol:

Offshore:
Mahi Mahi (Dorado)
Amber/Almaco Jacks
Kingfish (King Mackerel)
Spanish/Cero Mackerel
Blackfin Tuna
Bonita (Little Tunny)
Ribbonfish
Sea Robin
Triggerfish
Blue Runner
Porgy
Blacktip reef shark
Mutton Snapper
Red Grouper

Had a sailfish on the line earlier this year, but lost it to a noob mistake. I'm also hoping this year I get a shot at Wahoo.


Last edited by Jcanracer on Wed Apr 03, 2013 8:55 am, edited 2 times in total.

Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Mon Apr 01, 2013 3:47 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Sat Feb 02, 2013 11:47 am
Posts: 79
OK, all you salties. Us freshies are rather more limited on specie opportunities, but someone has to step up to the plate, so here goes:

Rainbow trout.
Brown trout
Cutthroat trout
Lake trout
Brook Trout
Tiger trout
Arctic Char
Cut-Bow Trout
Tiger Trout
Yellow perch
White crappie
walleye
smallmouth bass
largemouth bass
channel catfish
bluegills
green sunfish

All flyfishing. Although when the primary species are down below 18 feet, I switch to spin gear. Takes too long for sink tips to get down there, and they are not as sporting as mono as the line puts too much drag on the fish.

Colorado Bob AKA Oldguysrule


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue Apr 02, 2013 10:13 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Sun Nov 13, 2011 9:46 pm
Posts: 25
What I love about fishing in a Hobie is the variety of fish able to pursue in one vessel. What other single watercraft besides a kayak can one fish for everything listed in the previous comments from Brook Trout, Walleye (and on fly too...way cool oldguysrule), to blue water salt species? I don't think there is one! Some great fish listed above in responses!

_________________
Tight lines,
Aaron Rubel
Hobie Fishing Team & Fairhope Boat Company Pro Staff
Mobile Bay Area of Gulf Coast


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue Apr 02, 2013 11:09 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Sat Feb 02, 2013 11:47 am
Posts: 79
Thanks, Arron, and nicely said.

A correction to my list, I put Tiger Trout down twice. The second should have read "Splake."

A note of caution here for my fellow anglers. I have watched TV shows and read comments about fishing for large tarpon from a kayak. I have been about as adventurous an outdoorsman as there can be (one of the few to ever take a marauding elephant with a handgun, and three Alaskan Kodiaks) so I understand the adrenaline rush, however, and this is a BIG however, please reconsider angling for large tarpon from a kayak. That would mean anything over about 60 pounds.

I have landed somewhere in the neighborhood of 300-plus tarpon, averaging around 90-120 pounds. All from at least 20-foot power boats. Because they are so arial, and tend to often go airborne at boatside, they are prone to sometimes drop into the boat with you. The power of their wrist and tail are beyond discription. I have seen boat interiors and contents litterally destroyed
by tarpon and have seen two legs broken by flailing tails as well as anglers knocked out of boats. I also know of one angler killed outright by a tarpon that fell on his head and broke his neck.

Tarpon should not be on your bucket list. Sooner or later, the kayak community is going to have their first fatality from a tarpon fall. Don't let it be you.

Colorado Bob AKA Oldguysrule


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue Apr 02, 2013 11:31 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Mon Jul 16, 2012 9:27 pm
Posts: 731
Despite the warning, Tarpon is still on my bucket list. Awesome creatures.
I draw the line at shark fishing though, they are an unwanted species in my books :?


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue Apr 02, 2013 11:32 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Mon Jul 16, 2012 9:27 pm
Posts: 731
Aaron Rubel wrote:
What I love about fishing in a Hobie is the variety of fish able to pursue in one vessel. What other single watercraft besides a kayak can one fish for everything listed in the previous comments from Brook Trout, Walleye (and on fly too...way cool oldguysrule), to blue water salt species? I don't think there is one! Some great fish listed above in responses!


couldn't agree more 8)


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue Apr 02, 2013 12:05 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Sat Feb 02, 2013 11:47 am
Posts: 79
Knew that to be the case. Tarpon are a marvelous quarry.

If you must, which you will, some thoughts. Keep well away from them until they are truely played out. If you use non-stainless hooks, then cut the line (leader) well away from the fish. Many of the accidents I have seen have been during attempted release. That's when they are right at the boat and can do must harm on a jump. Non-stainless hooks will rust out quickly in the salt.

And never, ever be tempted to fish straight down to a school passing directly under you. That's almost a guarantee they will be in your lap.

A tip on hook setting. They have no internal projections in their mouths. It is like trying to set a hook into slick glass. At the take, lower the rod tip to almost water level. Slide your non-reel hand up the rod and grip the rod firmly when your arm is straight and your elbow locked. That is your new folcrum. Lift hard with the forward hand while pushing downward as hard as you can with the reel hand. It gives you tremendous hook-setting ability.

The average angler gets a hook set on about one in eight takes. This system will give you a hook set almost every time.

Then after their first run, go after them at an angle which will put a loop in the line. Especially on a fly line. If you all pulling straight, the line has no pressure on the fish. It is going through the water like an arrow.

And be ready to "Bow to the King." On every jump, lean as far forward as you can to keep slack. Otherwise you may be eating your lure or fly. As soon as they fall back into the water, slam them again and again with the system above. Now, you have a hook set!

If you insist on doing it, and you will, hope this advice from a few-hundred landed silver fish will help.

Colorado Bob AKA Oldguysrule


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue Apr 02, 2013 5:29 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Wed Dec 19, 2012 4:51 am
Posts: 8
Fishing mostly inshore saltwater, I've caught:
Snook (biggest at 37")
Redfish
Trout
Jack crevalle (up to 25 pounds)
Pompano
Bonnethead shark
Snapper
Sheepshead
Flounder
Barracuda
Bluefish
Spanish mackerel
And a lot of lady fish

Hooked both triple tail and tarpon, but those two still remain on the bucket list.
I have also caught largemouth bass in my Hobie Pro Angler 12 as well.

Coby

_________________
Image


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue Apr 02, 2013 7:32 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Sun Nov 13, 2011 9:46 pm
Posts: 25
Wow, Oldguysrule. That is amazing stuff right there. Have you ever broke a rod setting the hook with that technique?

Did you catch the Splake in Lake Superior?

_________________
Tight lines,
Aaron Rubel
Hobie Fishing Team & Fairhope Boat Company Pro Staff
Mobile Bay Area of Gulf Coast


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue Apr 02, 2013 7:38 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Sun Nov 13, 2011 9:46 pm
Posts: 25
@Bobbkkat,
Would like to catch a Tripletail myself! Gonna give it a try this summer out in the bay. Nice Snook. Haven't caught one, but they are a beautiful fish!

_________________
Tight lines,
Aaron Rubel
Hobie Fishing Team & Fairhope Boat Company Pro Staff
Mobile Bay Area of Gulf Coast


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Apr 03, 2013 7:12 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Sat Feb 02, 2013 11:47 am
Posts: 79
No, never broke a rod that way. But, you need a good stout rod to start.
Tarpon take a lot of wearing down, so you need a stout butt (the rod, not you although possible you too in a long fight)

If fly fishing, a 12-weight is the ticket, although I do have a favorite 10-11 Orvis that is stout enough for most tarpon. With a revolving spool reel pick a rod with a long extended handle and a stout mid-section.

There is a system to wearing a tarpon (or any big fish) down faster. If you go head to head with them, physical against physical, you will be in for a long session. Try to prevent a fish from going straight away against only rod pressure. You have an advantage in the length of the rod. As soon as your fish establishes direction, that could be species from, trout to salmon to tarpon, switch the rod tip as far in the OPPOSITE direction as it will go and apply pressure. All fish, any fish, will try to pull away from the direction the pressure is coming from. Think about it. If an unseen hand was trying to pull you away in the dark, you would pull as hard as you can in the OPPOSITE direction. If the direction of the pull shifted, you would pull as hard as you could against THAT direction.

So, you have shifted the rod tip say hard left, the fish has adjusted, and pulling hard opposite that. Keeping the line taut, swing the tip as far as possible to the right! That's the way he is pulling too, so you will now skid him in that direction aways. Whoops! Now he will react to that, and he will swing hard the OPPOSITE direction. Put good pressure on him a while, then switch your rod tip to the other diredtion, which will now skid him that way until he recovers. Keep doing this and it will flat wear the fish down in a hurry.

In Alaska we would play games with salmon like that and they would get so panicked reversing directions, we could get them to beach themselves. I have no proof, but I believe you will also wear the fish down psychologically. Every time he has control, you upset his control by switching. Also, it takes more of his energy to switch directions then to pull straight.

Try it with whatever you are catching and practice it. You will be shocked at how well it works. This is how you can land 10-pound trout on 2-pound test tippets. Good luck on the tarpon, just play safe.

Colorado Bob AKA Oldguysrule


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Apr 03, 2013 7:22 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Sat Feb 02, 2013 11:47 am
Posts: 79
As to the Splake, Colorado has several lakes with that species. They are a cross between Lake Trout and Brook trout. Since they are both fall spawners, and members of the Charr family, they cross rather readily.

Tiger Trout are a more difficult cross. A Female Brown (which is of the Salmonoid family) and a male Brrokk, which is a Charr. Although they are both fall and early winter spawners, the cross does not take that easily.

Colorado Bob AKA Oldguysrule


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Apr 03, 2013 8:55 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Mon Jul 16, 2012 9:27 pm
Posts: 731
Colorado Bob, excellent tips, thank you!


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 26 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next

All times are UTC - 8 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Jump to:  
© Hobie Cat Company. All rights reserved.
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group